Unshattered Bonds
by Little Miss Dancer Girl
Summary: *Sequel to Family Ties* Now on the road to fixing the mistakes of the past, Kimberly Curtis and her own gang need to find that mysterious time machine hidden somewhere in Paris. Not only that, but they now have a time limit, and Kim thinks she knows who's behind that fire at Windrixville.
1. Glimpse of the Aftermath

March 25, 2012; 2:48 am

When I woke up, I was huddled in the back of the van. I had a feeling it was in motion, judging by the slight sway of the vehicle. I picked up my head and strained my eyes to see that the only other person who was awake in the van was Onyx, who was driving. He couldn't tell I was awake; if he did, he didn't point it out.

It was then that I realized that all I felt was pain. It was coming from my right thigh. I placed a cautious hand there, and a new wave of hurt ran through me. I pulled my hand away and I noticed it was wet. When the van passed under a street light, I saw that my hand was covered in blood.

I usually don't freak out over blood, but when it's my own and it's oozing out of me the game changes completely. I stifled a scream.

"You alright?" I hear Onyx ask. I guess he heard me anyway. I make an odd noise in the attempt to say yes, despite my wanting to say no. I can't look weak in front of him. Especially because of what we've been through…

My memory of what had happened that had caused my bloody leg suddenly came rushing back to me. So many innocent people, dead. I could still hear the explosion pounding in my ears. The physical pain I felt was nearly muted by guilt. This was all because of me and my selfishness.

I must've said my last thought out loud, because then Onyx said, "No, it's not. You're helping so many people. A majority of the people there knew what was gonna happen. It wasn't your fault."

I was silent then for two reasons. The first was that my voice was ruined from all of my screaming, and the second was that I needed to clear my mind. Despite Onyx's comfort, I still felt responsible for all of those people. On top of that, the colder part of me was upset that Sybil, Elisabeth, and Simon aren't alive to help us any longer. Our team was now minus three, and we haven't even made it to 1967 yet.

I just hoped Onyx wouldn't be the next one to die. I didn't want to admit it, but I wasn't sure if I could live in a world where he's not there.

I would die before he would, especially before telling him this.


	2. Multi POV: Meeting Sky

Sky's POV

February 7, 2012; 6:27 pm

You know when people tell you to 'believe you can and you can'? Well, whenever it works (and it really does sometimes), it's hypnotism. I'm not kidding. You're practically hypnotizing yourself to do something that you normally couldn't.

And now, finally, there's proof. Tyler and I collected all the data we needed. I could present our analysis to the Director of Sciences and we'd finally get the extra college credits you can earn by conducting a private experiment. This was perfect. If only my Kindergarten teacher saw this...

I glanced at the clock once I was out of the lab. 6:30 on the dot. Sweet. I had an important speech to make tonight at the dining hall at seven, and I should get there with ten to fifteen minutes to spare.

Kim's POV

I was meticulously examining my great-grandmother's necklace when Lea nudged me out of my trance and motioned towards the window. I looked outside just in time to see the sign saying Welcome To New Hampshire- The Granite State. Granite State...good to know, I guess.

The last few days have been a blur. I haven't been able to tell what happened from one day to the next. All it was was hunger and boredom.

However, don't think that by now I haven't figured out that Camryn's blind. It's almost painfully obvious at this point, but I think only Connor and I know.

I was trying desperately to not get all psyched for when I see Sky. He hasn't been to any family gatherings since he left for Prep, and that was almost four years ago. I had no idea what to expect, and that was scaring me to no end. I hope Jeremy will help me.

Sky's POV

February 7, 2012; 7:18 pm

The speech apparently went well, because I received plenty of plaudits from the Prep student body. I was sitting with Tyler and some of our classmates when the intercom buzzed. Everyone in the room fell silent and turned to look at the speaker by the main entrance to the dining hall.

"May Skylar Curtis please come to the main office. Skylar Curtis. Thank you."

I stood up nonchalantly, feeling everyone's eyes on me. I took a deep breath and tried to guess why I was called as I left the room.

Was it about my essay from last week? No, that couldn't be; Professor Larson was in the dining hall just now. Could it be a letter from my parents? Or even worse, Great-uncle Sodapop or Uncle James? I never really kept touch with my family when I started school here as a freshman, and now I'm a senior. Maybe they want to check in. No, they didn't do that for the last three years...

I finally reached the main office door. I've only been to the main office to receive praise, give announcements as the school valedictorian, or pick something up for a professor. I've never been here for trouble. Then again, this couldn't be trouble.

However, I changed my mind when I entered and saw a silhouette with a voice just like Kim's, standing next to a seated boy, who from the dim lighting of the hallway I could tell was Jeremy.

"Hello, Sky."

Definitely trouble.


	3. You Coming or Not?

Sky's POV:

February 7, 2012; 7:20 pm

_I finally reached the main office door. I've only been to the main office to receive praise, give announcements as the school valedictorian, or pick something up for a professor. I've never been here for trouble. Then again, this couldn't be trouble._

_However, I changed my mind when I enter and see a silhouette with a voice just like Kim's, standing next to a seated boy, who from the dim lighting of the hallway I could tell was Jeremy._

_"Hello, Sky."_

_Definitely trouble._

Kim's POV:

February 7, 2012; 7:20 pm

There was silence. Even the secretary paused her typing and glanced up at us. I was sure nobody here called Sky by our nickname for him. I was sure he found it embarrassing. Not only to be called that, but to be attached to the Curtis family in any way. Being stuck in Granddad's shadow. Been there, done that, buddy.

His voice pulled me out of my thoughts. "What do you want?"

I didn't think about what was coming out of my mouth. I didn't need to. "I need your help with something."

"What?"

"Don't laugh."

"Why, is it funny? Then I'll end up laughing anyway."

"Ugh, fine."

I took a moment to breathe and find a way to put it into a way that Sky would understand. You see, he's much like his grandfather in the way that he can't grasp abstract things. As I did this, I noticed Jeremy asking the secretary to leave. She nodded and exited the room in silence.

Now there was simply the cold tension in the air. I wondered if this was what it was like with Granddad and Great-Uncle Darry. We're just too alike to get along.

"Have you read my grandfather's first book?"

This question seemed to stun him. He stood there, dumfounded for a second.

"What does this have to do with me helping you?" he then asked.

"Just answer the damn question!" I huffed, now getting frustrated. "Have you read the book?!"

"Yes. Why?"

"That book is a piece of non-fiction. It says that Johnny Cade and Dallas Winston are dead, correct?"

"Yes. Why?"

"They have children. And grandchildren," I snarled, at this point seriously pissed off. He was simply just sassing away when Onyx and Connor are suffering? The asshole.

"How the hell is that possible?" he then asked. "If they're dead…"

"Yeah, I know, it sounds stupid. But I need you to help me."

"With what, exactly?"

"Hold me back, Jer," I mutter to Jeremy. _Just shut up, Sky, _I wanted to say. _Just shut the fuck up and let me talk._

"Turns out, there's a curse of some sort, I don't know. Onyx and Connor… their grandchildren, are here with us along with the others, and we've found a way to—"

"Wait, what? Others?"

I stepped forward to punch him when I felt Jeremy grab me by my wrists.

"The 'gang's' grandchildren. We've found a time machine and we can go back and stop that fire," Jeremy then explained.

Sky was silent for a moment, taking it in. Then he said in a hushed tone, "There's such a thing as a time machine?"

At this, I scoffed loudly. "You're at a freaking prep school and you haven't heard about Apple's new machine in Paris?"

"No," he responds meekly.

"Well, it sure as hell exists, and we're going to steal it," Jeremy said.

"With your help," I added. Better make him feel special. "You'll be the brains behind this mission."

"Oh, great," he groaned. "Like we're kids; this is a mission, a fu—"

"Come on, Sky," I barked, my voice starting to shake.

Another moment of silence.

"Fine," Sky finally said. "But I better get paid big time for this."


	4. A Quick Call Home

February 7, 2012; 7:20 pm

_"We've found a time machine and we can go back and stop that fire," Jeremy then explained._

_Sky was silent for a moment, taking it in. Then he said in a hushed tone, "There's such a thing as a time machine?"_

_At this, I scoffed loudly. "You're at a freaking prep school and you haven't heard about Apple's new machine in Paris?"_

_"No," he responds meekly._

_"Well, it sure as hell exists, and we're going to steal it," Jeremy said._

_"With your help," I added. Better make him feel special. "You'll be the brains behind this mission."_

_"Oh, great," he groaned. "Like we're kids; this is a mission, a fu—"_

_"Come on, Sky," I barked, my voice starting to shake._

_Another moment of silence._

_"Fine," Sky finally said. "But I better get paid big time for this."_

* * *

February 7, 2012; 7:45 pm

"I want to call Granddad," I said to Onyx, who was blocking my way out of our booth. We were at a local restaurant and had just ordered some food. Hamburgers and stuff, probably; I had trouble paying attention. I had a soreness in my gut that was definitely not hunger, and I knew calling Granddad would help get rid of it. It was distracting.

Onyx looked at me for a second with an unreadable expression on his face before getting up. As I walked past him, our shoulders brushed. I then scolded myself for making such a fuss about it. It's not like you like him, I reminded myself. But I couldn't deny that my heart stopped for a moment.

I made my way over to a corner and tapped on Granddad's contact information. First I tried the home phone.

Luckily, he picked up within a few rings. "Hello?"

"Granddad..."

It was all I needed to say.

"Kim, it's so lovely to hear from you! How's everything going?"

If we succeeded, he would know.

As it turned out, I said it aloud, which made him laugh. He actually sounded old when he laughed. He actually sounded like a grandfather. Most of the time, he seemed just like a father, but with thin, silvery hair and a few wrinkles around the eyes when he smiled. His laughter, though, reminded me that he wasn't my dad. Maybe that was a good thing; maybe it wasn't, but now wasn't the time.

"And yes, I do know," he said, snapping me out of my trance. "It's just polite to ask. At least, that's what Darry always used to say."

"There's so much I wish I could ask you," I couldn't help but say. I didn't want to admit it, but it was true. But I knew he couldn't help me. Not the him from now, at least. Young Granddad can help, but only once we got to 1967.

"Ah, you see, I can't help anymore. But I think you know that, right?"

"Yup. But-"

"But I can help you with one thing. Hang up and hurry back to the booth. They're going to need you in a second."

And with that, he hung up.

And the sound of shattering dishes echoed through the room.

* * *

**Aww, a short chapter AND a cliff hanger... I'm so meanXD**


	5. Lea's POV: Sorting It Out

February 7, 2012; 7:48 pm

Kim's POV

_"But I can help you with one thing. Hang up and hurry back to the booth. They're going to need you in a second."_

_And with that, he hung up._

_And the sound of shattering dishes echoed through the room._

Lea's POV

We couldn't go to the hospital. The doctors would've figured out what really happened to Onyx. Kim and I covered and told onlookers that it was just a migraine and he got them pretty often, and they shut up and went back to eating. Sky and Connor carried him out to the van, while the rest of us followed them in a little pack.

Camryn tugged on Kim's sleeve. In response, she picked her up and carried her bridal style. Everyone was silent.

To be perfectly honest, I was glad I had a moment to think. Not that Onyx wasn't important, but, well… I had to sort some things out. Namely Jeremy.

About a week ago I would've just said right out that he was freakin' _hot_, but after all that's happened so far, I don't want to say _anything_. It was out of line for me to act all over-protective of Kim and pull the knife on him; I didn't know what came over me.

I think I was just a little bit jealous of him.

I mean, maybe it was because he was Kim's cousin. I'm really nobody special. I had known Kim since we were eight, but they have known each other since, like, _birth_.

We all got in the van, and I sat next to Jeremy. Almost everyone could tell it bugged him, even though he looked like he was trying to hide his disgust.

His disgust. It made me feel a little pang of hurt. I wanted to apologize. I leaned towards him and whispered in his ear: "I need to talk to you when we stop next." He gulped and nodded.

His discomfort wasn't very reassuring.

February 7, 2012; 11:34 pm

"So, what is it?" Jeremy asked me, obviously nervous out of his mind.

I still had no idea of what to say to him. I said something real smart, like, "I dunno."

He looked at me funny, so I just went on, completely winging it. "Well, I just wanted to apologize. You know, I'm just kinda protective of Kim. She's all the family I have. It just really bugs me when you guys are together and it's like you guys hang out every day when you see each other, like, twice a year." I carefully skirted around the whole threat part. I didn't want to cross the line with him.

His expression softened, and after a pause, I went for it: "I guess I'm just jealous."

I tried not to look at him. He walked up to me, and I suddenly felt a very weird feeling in my gut.

"I understand how you're jealous; I guess I am too. Macy's too young to really talk to, and everybody else is too old. You got Kim and Onyx, and I gotta admit, I wish I had that."

I started to feel dizzy when he lifted my chin to meet my gaze. "You know, how 'bout we just start over? Forget about the whole knife and pudding thing?" He said it like a statement.

"Wait, the what? Heh, okay," I responded, mentally scolding myself for sounding like such an idiot. But his presence was… I couldn't describe it if I tried. I couldn't even think.

So maybe that's why I kissed him.

**Gursh, all this romance is crazy. But I love it;) See y'all soon!**


End file.
